Electrical therapeutic device



March 30,1948. J, HART 2,438,605

ELECTRI CAL THERAPEUTI G DEVICE Filed Sept. 12, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I E 3' INVENTOR.

FEED cl HART M w, W

ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 30, 1948 2,438,605 ELECTRICAL THERAPEUTIC DEVICE Fred J. Hart, Salinas, Calif., assignor of one-half to College of Electronic Medicine, San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of California Application September 12, 1945, Serial No. 615,858

1 Claim. 1

My invention relates to improvements in electrical apparatus for therapeutic treatment.

One object is the provision of such a device adapted to direct alternating magnetic lines of force into body tissues for therapeutic use.

Another object is the provision for chopping such alternating fields at short intervals.

A further object is the provision of means for producing an inhomogeneous alternating mag netic field for therapeutic use. 7

A still further object is the provision of means for producing surging electrical energy in high frequencies for therapeutic use, and with each train beginning with comparatively high intensity then damped out quickly with a rest period before the next wave trainf Other objects will be apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a device embodying my invention.

Figure 2 is a similar View but indicating a diiierent form of electrical switch operating mechansm.

Figure 3 indicates a cathode ray oscillograph pattern of one train of energy curves produced by my device.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal view with an electromagnet and casing shown in section and the electrical circuit in diagram, and

Figure 5 is a front elevation of the device of Figure 4.

Referring more particularly to the drawings I provide an electro-magnet made up of a core 6 and a coil 1. The core 6 may be of soft iron or a suitable magnetic alloy. It preferably has a short cylindrical portion at one end and an enlarged bell-shaped portion at the other (see Figure 4) The coil 1 is disposed on said cylindrical core portion with its length approximately that of the cylindrical core portion and its diameter substantially that of the bell-shaped portion.

The coil 7 is connected in series with a condenser 3 and the primary coil 9 of a transformer to provide an oscillatory circuit. The secondary coil ID of said transformer is connected through a small condenser to one terminal of the primary transformer coil 9. A treatment electrode I2 is connected to the transformer coil l at the opposite terminal from the condenser connection, and disposed in front of the cylindrical part of core 6 in the strongest part of the magnetic field of said electro-magnet (see Figures 4 and The device is provided with electrical supply wires l3 and I4. I preferably provide a switching mechanism in each of said wires l3 and I4, as illustrated, but in some instances only one of the switching mechanisms may be desired. When one switching mechanism is used, it may be in either wire l3 or wire I4. When both switching mechanisms are used they should be closed and opened simultaneously.

In one of these switching mechanisms a fixed contact I5 is connected with the wire l3 and a movable contact l1 mounted on a swinging arm H3. The latter is connected by wire l9 to a convenient point of the oscillatory circuit between coil 9 and condenser 8. A fixed contact it is connected to wire l4 and adapted to be engaged by a movable contact 20 on a swinging arm 2|. The latter is connected to .a suitable point of said oscillatory circuit between coil 1 and condenser 8.

Any desired means may be provided to operate said switching mechanisms. I

In Figure 1, I have indicated a motor 23 of conventional design connected across wires I3 and I4 for continuous operation while the device is in use. The motor 23 is connected through any desired reducing gear to operate a cam member 24; I have illustrated a reducing gear made up of a suitable belt 25 andpulleys 26 and 21. The cam member 24 is provided with-any desired number of cams 28 adapted to engage suitable cams 29 on swinging arms I8 and 2| so that switch points I! and 20 will engage and disengage the fixed switch points I 5 and I6 simultaneously. A resilient member 29' is shown connecting the swinging arms I8 and 2| to hold the cams 29 in operating relation to cams 28.

In Figure 2, I have indicated a difierent means for operating the switching mechanisms. In this form a solenoid coil 30 is provided with a longitudinally moving core 3| with an enlargement 32 adapted to engage swinging arms l8 and 2| simultaneously. A thermally operated switch is adapted to control the operation of the solenoid 30. This device is of conventionaI design and provided with an arm 33 of two metals of diiierent thermal coefficients so that when said arm is cold a switch point 34 mounted on it will engage a fixed switch point 35 and permit the flow of current between wires I3 and I4 through wires 36, contacts 3d and 35, arm 33 and the solenoid coil 30.

At the same time a current will flow through a resistance wire 31 attached to the arm 33 and wound around an insulator 38 on said arm 33 and finally connected to one of wires 36. As soon as current has heated coil 31 and arm 33 the latter will be moved to disconnect points 34 and 35 to break the current permitting coil 31 and arm 33 to cool again. This cycle is repeated again and again as long as the device is in operation.

While the electrical current is broken through points 34 and 5,:resilient members :39 :will .move the solenoid core 3! and swinging arms lifliand 2| to disconnect switch points I! and 20 from fixed points 15 and I6 thereby cutting off the current to the oscillating circuit.

The core 6 is mounted in a housing! ofany desired shape and size, suchiastby a plurality .of

brackets ll and screws 42. The :flfront-adf z-the housing 40 is open for access to :the operating parts. This opening is closed .by.a.,removalo le covering 43 of glass or other desired material in coil 1 at the instant. in this coil due to the collapsing of said magnetic field is caused to oscillate through thecircuit 7 made up of coils 1 and 9 and condenser 8. This oscillatory energy is highly damped out and is indicated by the pattern 55 in Figure 3. 1

This damped oscillatory energy is led to elec- :.=t -rode t2 'thr-QIX-Eh. the inductive coupling between -;coils.9ianii elmand throughihe capacity coupling of condenser] I.

"Thus, while an alternating house current is flowing through .0011 1, electrical energy such as indicated by'pattern 54 is induced in the patient.

. and eat 'athe instant of breaking such current a and held in place by a bizel 44'and screws #5.

A lining of asbestos 56 may be placed on the inside of 1 covering .43 when desired. The. arrangeinentof theparts is such that-a narrow space. provides-an air .columnibetween in =front .of .the coil 51 and core 5 and back of lining AB. The housing 40 may .be provided withtas many ven tilating'holes 4 8 asedesired.

The-housing 40 is provided with-trunnionsAfi which engage openingsiniheupperends of .the supporting members 50 andl. Knurlednuts-W are threaded .on said .tr'unnions 49 and adapted to .lock the supporting members in 'operative condition. I

.Thetransformer made up of coils .9 and I is preferably mounted at the center on the \back of .core -:6 with condensers .8 and J l at the 7 sides *of thatransi'ormer. The switches -andswitch oper- .atingmeans maybemountedin .any'desire'd man- .ner, .such -ason:the back; of;core 6 and aseclose to the latter as possible in order to he -i n--the strongest-magnetic field. M

.An OE and on switchfii -.is provided-in .wire 14 for-controlling an alternating electrical current to the device.

=I-he device is intended for --.operation on alten nating electrical currents -:of .the "voltages and freguenciesiused in the usual home lighting currents. .An :electromagnet operated -.on such .a current produces an alternating :magnetic gfield. An electrical :--conductor in such a field .will have electrical ,currents.set @up in it, hence body (tissues disposed adjacent covering =43 will haveelectricalecurrentssetnp:in them. ;-Sincebody tissues are:easi ly penetrated by magnetic gfields -;this;pr o- .vides an efiicient means a of introducing electrical currents to them. 1

During the times switch :points H and 1210 :are in contact with the points and i6 spur-rent flows to the magnetic coil J and sets up .-a mag- I neticfieldvaroundsuchTcc-il and core 6. A cath- ,ode .-ray oscillographic pattern of the electrical current set up in body tissues in this magnetic fieldis-indicated at 54 inrFigure 3.

the house current is cutoff-,any-curirent file of 121115 patent:

highly idam pedioscillatory electrical energy indiicated in'ipattern :55 is led to the patient. Each making and breaking of the house current pro- -ducesa'train of patterns 54 and 55 with a distinctgrest to the tissues before the next cycle begins.

Because.of the particular form of core 6, the magnetic vfield at the front of the device will be most intense at electrode ,l 2 and become graduallyweaker towardthe periphery of the covering 43.. Thisdifference infield strength produces an .inhomogenous magnetic field and will set up Foucault currents in body tissues adjacent to the frontcoveringdii.

.61am; a

A device of the class described comprising an oscillation circuit including a capacitor and an inductor with the latter providing an electro-V magnet, two alternating current supply wires connected withsaid oscillation circuit, a switch connectedin each :supply wire, operating means connected with said switches; adapted to operate the :latter concurrently -.-so that .a ma netic new is setup around said ele ctrom-agnet while, said I FRED JQHAR r. 1 REFERENCES prrnp Y The following references are of record UNITED STATES PATENTS and any. current set up 

